Echoes of Bush as the PM exploited a sacred day

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The Prime Minister's politicisation of Anzac Day with his visit to service personnel in Iraq ("Gasps as surprise guest ambles in", Herald, April 26) is the most cynical and gross thing he has done to buy another three years in Kirribilli House. He has wiped his feet on the Anzac tradition.

Why aren't our ex-service organisations questioning his motives? Is it because they have taken their eye off the ball, or is it because they don't want to rock the boat?

One can see why organisations such as the RSL are losing their relevance to younger veterans.

Dallas Fraser, Gold Coast (Queensland), April 26.

As one who has seen more than 70 Anzac Days, I have noticed how the message has changed. It was always a sad day, not a day to glorify war but to honour sacrifice and to reinforce our resolve that such things would never happen again. Sometimes, between the wars, the message was lost, but those who attended the ceremonies always remembered the original sentiment.

This year, listening to Robert Hill declaiming that "the world is a dangerous place" and to the Prime Minister flying to Iraq in an aircraft filled with photographers, I could not help feeling that we have lost the essential meaning and once again the day is being used as a celebration. Once more politicians are throwing away the lives of our young people for their own nefarious purposes, just as they did on those beaches and cliffs of Gallipoli on that first Anzac Day.

Rod Lever, Glass House Mountains (Queensland), April 26.

In 1995 John Howard, as leader of the Opposition, was rightly critical of the then prime minister, Paul Keating, for being mean-spirited in refusing to take him to Israel for the funeral of the assassinated statesman Yitzhak Rabin.

Now, with equally exiguous grace but a great deal more blatant political opportunism, Mr Howard has behaved as badly. Surely he should have invited Mark Latham to accompany him? What could have been a fine gesture from the nation towards our service personnel has been sadly and needlessly tainted.

J. J. Carmody, Roseville, April 26.

Well done to the Prime Minister, John Howard. His morale-boosting visit to our troops in Baghdad, codenamed Operation Tower, proves that at this troubling time he is Australia's towering strength.

Morris Mansour, Ashfield, April 26.

The recent plagiarism virus appears to have crossed over from speeches to publicity stunts. John Howard's Iraq visit was lifted item for item from the White House Manual of Cynical Political Opportunism. I wonder if Mr Howard had a plastic pie in his hand luggage?

Simon Wellings, North Balgowlah, April 26.

What a shame John Howard missed a photo opportunity of presenting the Australian troops in Baghdad with a platter of plastic Anzac biscuits.

Gwen O'Gorman, Coffs Harbour, April 26.

Why was John Howard brought home from Iraq before Christmas?

Simon Squires, Crows Nest, April 26.

What strange paradox exists on a day when we join together as a nation to mourn our dead and lament the futility of war while our Prime Minister flies off to a land far, far away to support the deployment of a new generation of soldiers in a war that clearly divides the nation.

Sandra Eckersley, Marrickville, April 26.

Did Mr Howard use the White House as his travel agent?

Andrew Coleman, North Bondi, April 26.

Mark Latham's refusal to criticise the Prime Minister for secretly going to Iraq to commemorate Anzac Day because he did not wish to politicise the event reminded me of the reverse politics played by former US president Ronald Reagan when he was running for re-election.

Mr Reagan said he would not exploit for political purposes the youth and inexperience of his opponent. Since Mr Howard's trip was clearly politically motivated, Mr Latham was being disingenuous and playing reverse politics.

Fred Jansohn, Rose Bay, April 26.

Light rail - an idea that connects in the 'one-hour city'

I enjoyed reading the edited speech by Peter Newman ("Why we're reaching our limits as a one-hour city", Herald, April 26). For a long time I have been feeling vaguely guilty about using a car instead of public transport but he has clarified this issue.

From my home to the city takes 10 minutes by car, 45 minutes by bus or half an hour by a combination of car and light rail. The light rail service is a reliable and pleasant way to travel and I hope it is expanded to other suburbs. It would be a great start to improving the public transport system that has been sadly neglected over the years.

Margaret Grove, Abbotsford, April 26.

Professor Peter Newman argues that Sydney needs "a growth boundary ... a land use system that builds densely around centres".

Been there, done that. It's called urban consolidation, which has been rejected by resident action groups all over Sydney. This is not Singapore.

A growth boundary only makes sense if Sydney also has a population cap.

Gordon Hocking, Oyster Bay, April 26.

The newly appointed sustainability commissioner, Peter Newman, says we must have more urban consolidation. This is what he was saying in a similar presentation in 2000. On that occasion I requested the name of any large city in the world that features the characteristics he advocates for Sydney that does not suffer from the problems he implies will be alleviated. Four years on I am still waiting to hear of such an example.

Central Paris has high-density living, no freeways and one of the world's most intensive rail transit systems. Yet Paris suffers severe congestion, the average vehicle speed is only 20 kmh (compared with Sydney's 39 kmh) and its streets are more congested than those in Los Angeles. Moscow has high-density living (no single residential houses are allowed), no arterial roads and reputedly has the best public transport system in the world. Yet congestion is so severe that traffic comes to a standstill for long periods.

It will be a tragedy if the Sydney community is to be let down by yet more ill-advised failures.

Dr Tony Recsei, Warrawee, April 26.

All this talk raises the temperature

Bob Carr continues to talk about global warming as a threat that he takes seriously ("Two degrees between life and death", Herald, April 26). But is this just more hot air?

Structural subsidies continue to promote the burning of fossil fuels for most of NSW's energy production. Heavy clearfell logging continues in NSW forests. State funds are spent on building new roads for petrol-driven transport. Underfunded and poorly managed public transport systems are in chaos. Calls for increased research funding for renewable energy sources remain unheeded.

Jetsetting around the world to talk about global warming generates publicity, but a few policy changes at home might help to show that Mr Carr is serious.

Stuart Khan, Thirroul, April 26.

Global warming is not a tragedy, it's a farce played out by politicians tripping over issues of urban planning.

Bob Carr, you don't need to fly to Stratford-on-Avon to feel the portents of a temperature rise of two degrees. Get your chauffeur to drive you to Parklea and Kellyville and wind your window down so you can hear the hum of air-conditioners just below the roar of the traffic.

Better still, catch public transport. There are no trains. A bus will come eventually. Make sure you take plenty of block-out because you'll be standing in the sun. There are no shelters, seats or shade in these developer paradises, and the heat is already on.

Michael Mangold, Cremorne Point, April 26.

Conflicting views

Not since 14 Christians were killed in Soya, near Ambon in Indonesia, in April 2002 has the region seen such violence ("Ten dead, 88 hurt as religious fury erupts in Ambon's streets", Herald, April 26).

Why is it that the Bali bombing is rightly referred to as "terrorism" and that mobs rampaging through Ambon's streets and killing Christians is defined as "sectarian conflict"?

Our organisation is supporting many Indonesian-based communities that are suffering at the hand of terrorists inflamed by global aspirations of Islamic rule.

Two weeks ago "mysterious attackers" fired machine-guns on church worshippers in central Sulawesi. Meanwhile, the only conviction connected to the bloodbath of the past four years relates to an Indonesian priest who has spoken out against these jihad groups.

Ian Freestone, International Friends of Compassion, Manly, April 26.

Dig deeper

I note that Bob Carr is opening the Government's chequebook to preserve our history in the Waverley Cemetery with a $10,000 upgrade of Henry Lawson's grave.

How about spending a further $50,000 on the graves of other notables, including Sarah "Fanny" Durack, Australia's first great swimmer, who broke 11 world records; Lawrence Hargrave, aeronautical expert and inventor of the box kite; Henry Kendall, poet, who wrote Songs from the Mountains; and Dorothea Mackellar, poet, who gave us My Country?

Ross Barlow, Bayview, April 26.

We're WEL, thanks

Catherine Cusack asks where the Women's Electoral Lobby was ("How an electoral lobby failed in its role", Herald, April 26). It was ignoring the politics of political parties and concentrating on making a real difference in the lives of Australian women. It was campaigning for change on vital issues including paid maternity leave, health care and education.

Feminism doesn't need any more mudslinging - it needs people willing and able to speak out for those who can't do it for themselves. That's where WEL was, and always will be.

Belinda Connolly, Caringbah, April 26.

Pride of place

Why does the Herald publish the best letters just under the cartoon or in the right-hand column?

The bottom of the page seems to be reserved for long-winded, barely readable refutations from the chairmen of acronyms.

Peter Armstrong, Dudley, April 26.

Strength in numbers

Recent comments by Labor leaders and the Business Council of Australia ("Labor accused of scaring off skilled migrants", Herald, April 24-25) ignore some core issues in labour market development.

The Business Council is right to point out that openness to a steady stream of immigrants keeps Australia in touch with the rest of the world.

However, it is not enough to bring skilled professionals to Australia and then abandon them to their own devices, leaving them to work casually as security guards and taxi drivers.

Lost in the hue and cry over land taxes was a line in the NSW budget axing after June 30 the Government's $2.4 million Migrant Skills Strategy. With the Federal Government having abandoned the employment field to profit-seeking job network providers, it was the only program left which focused on recognising and using migrants' skills and qualifications.

While politicians hone their anti-migrant rhetoric, people in businesses and unemployment queues know there are some basic tasks left undone. NSW is much less a "full house" than a house decaying through neglect.

Soraya Kassim, Kogarah, April 26.

Survivor's tip

As a professional dieter of 30 years' experience, I cannot agree with Caroline Overington that 1800 calories is a diet restricted to "a few bowls of raw vegetables or a piece of lean fish" ("Forget the wasteline, these dieters focus on the lifeline", Herald, April 26). On the contrary, 1800 calories would contain delights such as steak and chicken, and treats such as yoghurt and cheese.

She obviously means kilojoules, i.e., 428 calories, and only a masochist would agree to such torture just to gain a few more years on this planet.

J. Archer, Waitara, April 26.

A process of elimination

Channel surfing between images of stoic Anzac diggers and the tears and hysterics of the losers in My Restaurant Rules, one wonders what the old fellows think of the concept of "sacrifice" in the era of reality TV.

Miles Clarke, Turramurra, April 26.

Seriously inconvenienced

Recently I had occasion to supply feedback to one of our more prestigious merchant banks. I received a courteous reply, saying the problem would be addressed and apologising "for any incontinence caused". Go Mrs Malaprop, you good thing!

John Christie, Oatley, April 26.

A plagiarist's guilt

In 1945 I won the junior oratory at Woodlawn College, Lismore, with a brazenly plagiarised speech of Winston Churchill's about "having nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat". Should I return my award to the school as a matter of conscience?

Peter Dougherty, Grafton, April 25.

Using the dictionary

The Saturday cryptic crossword prize is a nice hefty Macquarie Dictionary (Letters, April 26) so that the partners of winners can be confident that when they hurl it at the bedside light at 2am on Sunday the following weekend, the bloody globe will definitely smash.

Jack Robertson, Balmain, April 26.

The Macquarie Dictionary I won by completing and submitting the Saturday cryptic crossword has proved invaluable in my efforts to complete DA's crossword on a Friday - something I seldom achieve.

Roy Beaumont-Edmonds, Lawson, April 26.

The unknown G-G

So the name of the Governor-General is Michael Jeffery. Next time he says something, probably the Queen's birthday or Australia Day, can we have a picture so I can see what he looks like?

Neil J. Purcell, Fonte Avellana (Italy), April 26.

Safe landing

In answer to Seth Richardson (Letters, April 24), throwaway lines often land on the horns of dilemmas.

Kez Thompson, Tomerong, April 25.

Uh, oh, bad pronunication

Yes, it's on again, the dreadful outrage to good taste, the pronunciation "OH-lympic" for "uh-LYMP-ic".

Richard Dixon, Kambah (ACT), April 26.

Doodle space

In the mail last week I received a company report. On each of the last three pages I was advised that this page had been intentionally left blank. I just thought you'd like to know.

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